Why You Should Take More Breaks at Work

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Lunch break, snack break, afternoon break: We’re all supposed to take them as part of our work day. But the reality of your office existence may be a lot different than the ideal. Meetings, deadlines, stress—they’re all causes for us to skip those breaks.

Turns out, though, that skipping those breaks—the 10-minute reset and the hour-long lunch break—is bad for us and bad for our employers. We cut into our productivity. We get more irritable. We have a higher risk of bigger health issues such as heart disease. Think about it: Just sitting at your desk for a long time can strain your muscles, including neck and wrists. And it’s not just your muscles that hurt—your brain does, too, as it is less able to absorb and process information.

So what are your rights when it comes to breaks, and what can you do to remedy the situation? This graphic offers some ideas and insights.